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Some Grade Hackenberg on Day Three; Project Selection on Day Two

Updated Dec. 4, 2015
By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.

There have been many highly touted quarterback prospects who have endured far falls in the NFL Draft. Last year, UCLA's Brett Hundley and Baylor's Bryce Petty were projected by some to be early-round selections, but they ended up dropping to the third day of the draft. At one time, many thought former USC quarterback Matt Barkley would be a top-10 pick, but he also plummeted to the fourth round in 2013. This year, Penn State's Christian Hackenberg could potentially keep that tradition alive. Sources have told WalterFootball.com that their teams have a fourth-round grade on Hackenberg.

Hackenberg was the star recruit for former Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien (current head coach of the Houston Texans) and proved the hype legitimate during an impressive freshman season that saw him named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Hackenberg completed 59 percent of his passes for 2,955 yards with 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2013. He also ran for four touchdowns. Sources felt that Hackenberg could end up being an elite quarterback prospect, but then his sophomore and junior seasons were huge disappointments and those same sources soured on his pro potential.

Penn State's offensive line was terrible, as Hackenberg took a beating. In 2014, Hackenberg completed 56 percent of his passes in 2014 for 2,677 yards with 12 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. This season, Hackenberg was modestly improved, but not enough to redeem the high draft projections. Hackenberg has completed 53 percent of his passes for 2,386 yards and 16 touchdowns with five interceptions entering Penn State's Bowl game this year. Sources feel that Hackenberg's inaccuracy, lack of mobility, and decision-making make him a project at the next level rather than a first-round talent.

A general manager whose team is one of the best at evaluating and developing quarterbacks has a third-round grade on Hackenberg. That general manager believes that he could go in the second round. One team that has a fourth-round grade on Hackenberg believes that the team that likes him enough to draft him will probably do it on the second day of the draft. There are a lot of quarterback-needy teams in the NFL, and that demand shouldn't be placated during free agency.

Even though some teams grade Hackenberg on the third day of the draft, that doesn't guarantee he won't be a first-round pick, even. A team that has a fourth-round grade on Hackenberg said they had the same grade on Christian Ponder and E.J. Manuel. That low estimation didn't stop the Vikings and Bills from taking those quarterbacks in the top 20 of their draft classes.

There still is a long way to go in the draft process, but if Hackenberg decides to skip his senior season and enter the 2016 NFL Draft, it sounds like he can be optimistic to go on the second-day of the draft, even though some teams grade him as a fourth-rounder.

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